Daily Kennebec journal., 1887-11-12
No Disturbance During the In
Fiction Of the Penalty but
Vengeance Declared.
The Many Incidents of the Day Connect
ed with the Final Act.


Parsons, Spies, Engel and Fischer the
Anarchists convicted of murder in the Hay
market riot, on MAY 4, 1856, were hanged in
Cook county Jail, Chicago, at | l.54 this fore
noon.
At o'clock this morning 300 policemen,
armed with rifles, bayonets revolvers and
full cartridge boxes, were on duty at the
Chicago Jail. The battalion of three com
panies of police that had been quartered in
the Jail and criminal court building since the
new orders went into force did duty inside
the building to-day a detail having been
made for every advantageous post.
In addition to the battalion on the inside
there was a force on the outside composed
of company from each of the five pre-
cints and three companies from the central
detail. This force was armed with rifles,
and surrounded the entire block in which the
Jail is situated, which in addition to the cor
dons of police enlosed by ropes. The
men were deployed in open order SO that if
attacked, especially with bombs, execution
would not be great, while at the same
time the police would be able to return fire
with greater effect and less danger to them
selves. Detectives were stationed outside
the police lines and mingled with the crowd.
Between 3 and o'clock this morning a
wagon drove up to the Jail and unloaded
four coffins, one for Spies. one for Engel,
one for Fischer and one for Parsons.
The prisoners all ate u hearty breakfast.
At 10 o'clock Parsons Fischer and Spies
asked for twenty minutes each on the gal
lows, in which to make speeches. Fischer
then sang the Marseilaise, in which the
other prisoners joined.
A ripple of excitement occurred at $50
when Mrs. Parsons, and Mrs. Holmes de-
manded admission to the Jail. They were
were refused and requested to move on
They declined to do this and becoming vio-
lent in their talk were arrested and taken to
the police station. There was no expression
or demonstration of sympathy on the part of
the crowd
1t was stated at To- 10 that the procession
to the gallows would start in exactly three
quarters of an hour or II o'clock Boston
time.
Following close upon a telegraphic report
from Springfield that Governor Oglesby had
decided once for all, the deputies commenced
at 1927 distributing tickets to the report
ers who were to watch the march to the gal
lows.
The Governor subsequently telegraphed
Sheriff Matson that he saw no necessity for
any further communication with him on the
subject of the execution and concluded his
telegram by telling him to proceed with his
duty.
At l04 the reporters were admitted into
the cell room to witness the execution. At
IL 80 the sheriff commenced to read the death
warrant to Spies and in less than half an
hour the execution took place.
As soon as the sheriff finished reading the
death warrant to Spies he repeated it to Par
sons, Engel and Fischer.
The shrouds were then placed on all the
men.
They at once took their places on the
grating in the Jail corridor and bade last
farewell to their friends in the visitors cage.
At IL 40 the march to the scaffold started.
1t was solemn procession and not sound
was heard in the corridor except the heavy
tread of the men.
No other four men ever showed more
thorough contempt for death than the anar
chists executed.
From early dawn till the last moment they
would not see the shadow of either ignominy
or the hereafter. beginning with the flat
refusal in the very teeth oI death to accept a
word of comfort from the reverend minister
of religion. Fischer sang the famous - Mar
seillaise." Then, with seemingly no thought
of the dreadful massacre at IIaymarket square
the four prepared for the march toward the
gallows, almost as if it it were a pleasant
holiday excursion.
While the warrants were being read, the
dark boards and eyes of Fielden and Schwab
appeared against the bars of their cell doors
just above. The men were phenomenally
calm while being pinioned. When the war
rants were read, both Spies and Fischer
looked straight into the sheriffs eyes and
said, sheriff, you are now about to commit
judicial murder.
When Fischer was bound and placed be-
side Spies he nodded to Spies in pleasant
manner and asked him in German how he
felt. Spies smiled good naturedly. and re-
pliee that he felt first rate.
Engel, while standing beside Spies and
Fischer, said Well" as if to enquire their
feelings. Spies and Fischer replied smiling
cheerily and nodding.
Parsons warrant was read last. He seemed
nerved up to great tension but had nothing
to say.
He stepped lightly from his cell when the
reading was finished, but drew back involun-
tarily at the sight of three ghostly looking
figures bound and shrouded before him. But
he again stepped out with look of defiance.
Bind me tight" he said be sure and make
no mistake" The deputy complied only too
well.
Forming double file, with each of the
four anarchists side by side with deputy,
they were headed east and started for the
gallows. stop at the iron door of the
cages gave the four chance TO turn their
heads in the direction of the second gallery
and bid good bye several times to Schwao
and Fielden.
..Brudder Schwab." shouted Fischer, - II
wuenschen linen elm glueckliches leben und
das sic bald herauskommen" Brother Sch"ao
we wish you happy life and that You may
soon be free.) Then he added, ''Good bye'